Fold-presser for folding-machines.



W. F. LAUTENSCHLAGER.

FOLD PRESSER FOR FOLDING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25-1917.

Patented July 24, 1917.

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WILLIAM F. LAUTENSCHLAG'EB, F CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO LORENZ BE'UTHEB,

OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FCiLD-PRESSER FOR FOLDING-MACHINES tain new and useful Improvements in Fold? Prcssers for Folding-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying the same and forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to improvements in fold pressers for folding machines such as are used to fold over the edges of sheet material, and particularly the edges of boot and shoe parts.

The objects of my invention are to so construct and arrange the fold-presser surfaces of fold-pressers that said fold-Presser surface may be adjusted with relation to the foldresser so as to extend and withdraw it at will, and at the same time cause the said fold-presser surface to move obliquely with relation to the fold-presser and the edge turning or folding-block. The object sought in adjusting the fold-presser surface obliquely with relation to the fold-presser is to adapt the fold-presser for the folding of convex curved surfaces of very short radii, as well as the folding of straight and concave surfaces.

My device is adapted to be used to fold the edges of parts of boots and shoes and particularly where the edges to be folded are of various curvatures, both concave and convex, as well as straight In the folding of straight and concave edges it is desirable to have the distance between the point where the folding commences and the point where the foldi g operation is completed and the fold fina y pressed down, as great as possible, oriler that the folded edge may be smooth and free from wrinkles and puckers.

In the usual-type of folding machines used there is a liability of the edge being puckered, due to the tendency of the machine to stretch the edge of the stock during the folding operation. This tendency is due to the fact that said edge tends to occupy a greater length during the folding operation than itoccupies while the material is flat. In folding a. convex curved surface the edge would occupy a less distance from the point of fold to the point where the fold was comi letely pressed down. In this case the fold- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July $4, 1917.

Application filed. January 26, 1917. Serial No; 144,766.

ed over portion of the material would be puckered slightly sons to accommodate the material in the space it is to occupy when completely folded. Y g

In folding convex surfaces, especially where they are ofvery small radii, the distance between the point where the foldpresser surface completely presses the, fold and the folding block that turns over the edge should be as short as possible in. order that the-fold-pressr may reach the whole of the folded over portion of the edge and press it down. The shorter the radii, the less the distance should be between these points, in order to properly press the fold. To provide means fortemporarily shortening the distance between the fold presser surface and the folding-block, I have devised the form of foldresser surface and the method of adjusting it shown and described in the I specification herein.

The device shown herein is an improvefold pressers for. folding machines, and r0- vides for a preliminary pressing of the olded edge, ,and thereafter a complete pressing, the same as is set forth in my said patent.

Other objects of my invention will appear from the description contained in this specification. I

In the drawings which accompany this specification and form a part thereof Figure I is a front elevation of a portion of a folding machine such as is illustrated in my Patent No. 1,207,941, issued December 12,1916, for folding machines, and in which is more fully illustrated and described the o crating mechanism of my folding mapresser and fold-presser surface showing the foldresser surface withdrawn inwardly; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of my fold-presser and fold-presser surface, with the foldpresser surface extended to. its outward oblique position and in the position it-would occupy when used topress-down afolded over edge that was convex and of a very short radius.

In the drawing, 1 represents a portion of the frame of a folding machine, and 2 the fold-presser forming the subject matter of my invention as described herein. 3 is the pivot upon which the fold-presser 2 oscillates. The fold-presser is oscillated by means of the shaft 4C which has astud 5 in its end positioned eccentric to the axis of the shaft 4. This stud connects with a housing 6 containing a bearing for a pivot 7 which is secured in the end of the lever S. The lever 8 is pivoted to oscillate upon the pivot 9 and has the upwardly extending portion 10 having secured therein the pivot 11 which has a bearing in the forked portion 12 which is formed in the end of the portion 13 of the iold-presser 2. 14 is the fold-presser surace.

This fold-presser surface is bent rectangular in shape and has the upper portion 15 and the extension 16 which is provided with awcurved port-ion 37 with which the adjusting lever 38 contacts to move and adjust the fold-presser surface 1% upon the body of the fold-presser 2. The portions 15 and 16 of the fold-presser surface are provided with two slots 17 and 18 which embrace pins 19 and 20 which are secured in the foldpresser E2. The slots 17 and 18 are positioned obliquely to the body of the fold-presser surface so that when the foldpresser surface is moved to the left, as

-viewed in F ig. l, said fold-presusurface moves obliquely in a right line with relation to the fold-presser-Q and this causes the portion 21 of the fold-presser surface to not only move to the left, but as might be termed, forwardly, and in front of the folding-block 22 and nearer to the point 28 where the fold commences. This oblique movement of the cud 15 throws the fold- .iresscr surface toward the center of the circle of the material being folded, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the fold-pressing surface will completely cover the folded over portion of the material, even though the curvature of the edge being folded is of very short radius. The folding-bloclc serves the purpose of turning over and folding the *dge of the material in advance of the foldpressing opcratimi.

It will be seen that although the foldpresser surface is capable of this oblique adjustment for more easily and readily folding convex surfaces, it when adjusted in the position shown in Fig. 3, enables straight portions or straight edges of material to be folded without puckcring or stretching the material on the edge, as illustrated in Fig. The material being folded, which has a convex edge is designated by the numeral hates the folded portion of the material I p In Fig. the foldresser is shown as moved to its inward position and so that the fold-pressing surface 14 is positioned-at the greatest distance from the foldingblocle, Thisfigure also shows the material :26 having a straight edge at the folded portion .27. As will be observed, the point 28 where the fold comn'iences and the point" 29 where it is completely pressed down upon the body of the-material is of greater distance than it is between the point 28 and the pressing surface 21, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and where the fold-pressing surface 14 is moved outward ohliquelv to bring it atits nearest point to the foldingblock 22. In the embodiment of my invention as shown in the drawings, a spring 30 is provided and is so arranged as to hold the foldpresscr surface 1% in its inward or withdrawn position, as shown in Fig. 3.

A machine equipped with my improved foldpresser may haye the feeding means,

the slitting means and a foldingdilock, the same as illustrated in my application for a patent filed June 21, 1911, Serial No. 634,485, and therefore these parts need not be fully described in this specification as they are all fully described in my said applicafion of June 21, 1911.

lnv the drawings accompanying this application, 33 illustrates the feed-foot housing which is designed to oscillate to impart movement to the feed-foot, and 34 is the feral-foot shaft which is mounted in the housingBIZ and has an up and down movement theiein and is provided at its lower eild with the feed-foot 35 which has the feleding movement as described in my said application of June 11, 1911. pigesser-foot which retains the material in :ufixed position during the return movement of th feed-foot 35.

The slitting knife not shown, but the fold-prcsser shown in this application is designed to be used with a slitting knife of the kind similar to that shown in iny Patent No. 1.2011941 issued llcccmlncr 113, 1916, or with any other suitable slitting means.

36 is the I do not confine thcusc of my fold-presscr r as herein described to a folding machine equipped with any special feeding or slitting means as it is capuble of use with any suit able feeding. folding and slitting means.

. The means .ul' adjusting the fold-presscr surface 14, either to its inward or withdrawn position, or its oblique or extended position, consists of the down-turned portion 37 formedon the end of the fold-presscr surface 14 and the lever 38 which has an cxtended portion broken away to furnish means by which the operator may manipulate it and the upturned portion 39, which is positioned so thatupon manipulation of the lever 38 the upturned portion 39 may crmtactagainst the downturned end 37 tov turned end 37 it will permit the spring 30 towithdraw the fold-presser surface 14 inward and obliquely away from the folding- -block 22. This adjustment of the foldpresser surface 14 may be performed while the folding machine is in operation and at the will of the operator.

It is believed from the description herein given that the operation of the device will be clearly understood by anyone skilled the art of folding machines.

I. do not limitmy invention to the exact form of a fold-presser surface shown herein or to any exact angle as regards the slots 17 and 18, or to the exact arrangement of the spring 30, as my invention consists broadly in the arrangementof the foldpresser surface of a fold-presser so that it may be moved obliquely in a right line outward, as well as toward, the folding-"block to enable convex edges to be more readily and perfectly folded well in the reverse a direction to more edges. l

Having described my inventi iin, what I claim is "{l f} 1. In a folding machine, mezl hs for feeding and means for folding oven the edge of sheet material, and a fold-pressfer for pressing down the folded edge halving a foldpresser surface adjustably mo nted thereon and arranged to be moved diggonally in a right line of the foldresser to its adjusted position. I

2. In a folding machine, ii eans for feeding and means for olding over the edge of sheet material, a ld-presser for pressing perfectly fold straight down the folded edge having a foldresser surface adjustablyf mounted thereon and arranged to be moved diagonally in a right. line of the fold-presser so as to extend it and move it toward the folding block, and

means for moving the fold-pressing surface into its adjusted position.

3. In a folding machine, fold turning leans and a fold-presser for pressing the ionled edge, having an adjustable foldpresser surface, and means for moving it diagonally in a right line outward and nearer the fold-turning means.

4. In a folding machine, means for folding over the edge of sheet material, and a fold-Presser having anadjustable stepped fold presser surface for pressing down the folded edge, movable in a right line in a direction diagonal of the axis of thelfoldpresser.

'5. A folding machine comprising folding instrumentalities, including a fold-presser having an adjustable fold-prcsser surfacecapable {of movement ,in a right line in a direction diagonal to the line of feed of the material to be folded, and'means under the control of the operator for moving said fold pressing surface-,at will while the 1na- "chineis inoperation, as well-as when it is inoperative;

'6. ,A folding machine comprising means fof feeding the material to be folded, means for turning over the edge to be folded, means for pressing down said folded edge, said pressing means having an adjustable fold-pressing surface movable in a right line diagonal to the line of feed, and means for moving said fold-pressing surface at the will of the operator.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this the 23rd day of January; A. D. 1917. v WILLIAM F. LAUTENSGHLAGER.

Witnesses:

F. TISGHBEIN, -F. HoEwIsoHER. 

